Peaks And Ranges Seen From Summit Road

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 16

Peaks And Ranges Seen From Summit Road

(Sveciallu written for “The

{specialty wr Press” by

I. D. PUGH)

The sweep of mountain peaks and ranges seen from the Port Hills on a clear day is a breath-taking sight. In some it excites curiosity about the identity of prominent landmarks; others are moved to locate features or areas they have known at close hand.

Of several excellent vantage points along the Summit road, perhaps the best is near the car-parking area half a mile along the northern Summit road from the Sign of the Kiwi, in front of the Sugarloaf television transmitter and overlooking Victoria Park. A short climb up the hill slope behind the reserve permits a view unobstructed by the trees above Victoria Park.

From this point, a view of some 200 distinct peaks and embracing approximately 6500 I square miles of land surface is obtainable. It is from here that the panorama printed on this page today was obtained. It was drawn direct from projected photographs taken with a 400 mm. telephoto lens. The heights of a number of unsurveyed peaks have been calculated (shown prefixed by the letter c, for circa). The most distant peak is Mount Cook, which appears immediately to the right of Mount Somers. The only Main Divide peak visible is Mount Rolleston, seen to the left of Mount Orford. An interesting sight during the earlier part of the day is the effect of shade upon the several ridges of Broken Hill. Many who first make the acquaintance of our mountain ranges from this viewpoint will want to go and see them at close quarters. In winter, particularly, they well reward the traveller with their spectacular beauty. Obvious examples are the Hutt Range from Rakaia Gorge or Windwhistle, the Torlesse Range from Springfield, and the Seaward Kaikouras from Kaikoura. Mount Tinline is the mountain which appears at the end of the long vista through Balmoral Forest on the main highway. Both Mount Tinline and Mount Terako are easily seen from Red Post beyond Culverden and from the top of the rise on the main highway just the other side of Cheviot Mount Tekoa, a striking peak with its pyramid-shaped summit may be viewed from near Waikari and from the Lake Sumner road just beyond Hawarden. Six or seven miles from Hawarden along this road the Orange Range is clearly seen to the north, the Mytholm Range across the Hurunui Valley (side-on and very close) being conspicuous from Jack’s Saddle, the highest point on the road and 15 miles from Hawarden. Mount Longfellow forms the backdrop to the upper portion of the Lake Sumner road.

From near the Waiau Ferry : bridge on the Hanmer highway, Miromiro, Mount Cap-

tain, and Dumblane show up prominently on the opposite side of the Hanmer Plain, with Maukuratawhai to the right of Dumblane beyond Jack’s Pass. Both Maukuratawhai and the Black Serpent may be seen close up from the Clarence Valley. An impressive supplementary panoramic view of the peaks from the Orange Range to Mount Terako, and of the Seaward Kaikouras, may be obtained from the Balmoral Forest look-out above the Hurunui bridge. The southern end of the Craigieburn Range (to Mount Enys) may be seen from Porters Pass, the northern end from between Broken River and Cass (main highway). A glimpse of the Thumbs, together with other jagged peaks of the Two Thumb Range, is obtainable from the Lake Clearwater road beyond the Ashburton Gorge, at the lagoon about two miles past the Lake Heron turn-off.

Nearly all these peaks and ranges, observed from the respective viewpoints indicated, may be readily recognised from their appearance in the accompanying drawings. It is hoped that increased familiarity may stimulate further interest in the superb panorama that is available from a position so accessible from Christchurch.

Shipping Telegrams

AUCKLAND, August 30. Arrived.—Hudson Deep (7 a.m.), Australia; Tagua (1.40 p.m.), Rarotonga. To Arrive.—Wairata (10 p.m.), Sydney. Sailed.—Hurunui (2.33 p.m.), Napier.

TAURANGA, August 30. Sailed. —Kawerau (1.58 p.m.), Melbourne; Stove Transport (2.7 p.m.), Japan.

WELLINGTON, August 30. Arrived.—Matipo (4.5 a.m.), Nelson; Prima Maru (8.15 a.m.), Tokyo. Sailed.—Abel Tasman (10.15 a.m.), Dunedin; Te Aroha (4.10 p.m.), Nelson.

TIMARU, August 30. To Arrive.—Troja (12 p.m.) Napier; Pukeko (7 p.m.) Oamaru; Calm (0 p.m.), Wei lington. DUNEDIN, August 30. Arrived.—Navua (1.15 p.m.) Lyttelton. Sailed —Holmwood (3.30 p.m.) Timaru.